Deranged Friendship
by guardian921
Summary: When Yomi disapproves of his son's friendship with Rinku, he tries to make Shura grow up faster, but something goes wrong. Now a deranged Shura is on the rampage and Rinku just might be the only one to stop him. Rated for content. TBC
1. Chapter 1

_**Summery:**_ When Yomi disapproves of his son's friendship with Rinku, he tries to make Shura grow up faster, but something goes wrong. Now a deranged Shura is on the rampage and Rinku just might be the only one to stop him.

_**A/N:**_ terminology at end of chapter

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing say for the pathetic time and lack of sleep put into this… and the sadistic mind of putting the following characters through all this [hee-hee-hee!]

_**Warnings:**_ disturbing imagery, forced drug usage and psychotic murders? nothing major... yet

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"Hey... Rinku?"

"Hmm?" the yo-yo child hummed from his spot along the grassy riverbank. Clad only in their trousers, the summer afternoon sun was high in the sky as it dried the boys of leftover drops of water from their swim, leaving the him drowsy with content.

"We're friends... right?"

"Of course we are. Have been for three years now," Rinku shrugged before casting the young goat a confused look. "Why would you ask a dumb question like that?"

Shura bit his lip as he considered his words carefully and Rinku could not help but smirk at the nervous habit. According to Kurama, the boy's father, Yomi, had the exact same nervous tick in his youth.

"It's just that... I really like spending time with you," he explained with eyes focused on the sparkling river water. "To be honest, I never even knew what fun really was until I met you. I had always thought that it just training to get stronger and making your opponents suffer the most horrible types of pain imaginable. Looking back I guess that's all I ever did. Train and fight... that's all I ever knew... but then I met you. Then I met you and everything changed. At first... I thought you were just another idiot like that Urameshi-"

"Oh wow, thanks! I can tell you really value our friendship."

"Heh... well, I'm sorry, but when someone comes up to a complete stranger and offers to heal them of their injuries, I tend to think they're a bit loopy in the head."

"Alright, alright," Rinku laughed as the other boy threw a fistful of grass at him. "Point taken! I just hope you still don't think I'm weird or anything!"

"Only sometimes," Shura smiled. "Mostly when you've had a bit too much sugar. Overall, though, you're really fun to be around and I like it. I've never had someone who willingly wanted to hang around me before. Everyone is usually either too afraid of me and my father to dare come near us, or they simply despise my father too much to give me a second glance. But you... You actually came up to me of your own accord and offered to help me. Even after I treated you like crap, you still wanted to help. You still wanted to be my friend. I don't know. I suppose I value our friendship so much, that I'm just dreading the day it'll come to an end."

"When what ends?"

"Our friendship," Shura responded matter-of-factly, tossing a pebble and watching as the still water became riddled with ripples. It took a moment of empty silence before he realized that Rinku was staring at him increduously. "Huh? What?"

"_Are you on glue?_" the child shouted, causing the young goat to jump back. "What the hell do you mean by that? Why in all the worlds would we stop being friends if you value it so much? You just said that you liked being friends!"

"I do," Shura blinked up in confusion. "But Father said that friendships are childish and unprofitable."

"Is that right?" The child spat out bitterly, trying to keep his composure for his friend's sake.

"Yes! Father said that friends are nothing more then a phase that I'll eventually grow out of once I get older. He said that when I get older I'll learn that people are merely tools to be used in the grand scheme of things. That if you grow too attached then they'll only be able to turn on you even quicker."

"Turn on you?"

"Uh-huh," Shura confirmed with a sad nod. "Father said that all demons are petty and dishonest, so you can never really trust them."

"Oh... do you think I'm petty and dishonest?" The Gandara heir raised an eyebrow at the question, causing Rinku to scratch his head in embarressment. "Oh right. Heh-hee... Of course I am."

"Actually, Father says that it's different with children... most of the time, anyways." Shura shrugged at the confused look his friend was giving him and looked to the sky as he explained. "Father said that children aren't as knowledgable of the world as adults. He said that they usually form friendships because they don't have the parental figures to teach them of the importance of blood."

"Blood?"

"Yeah, blood. Father says that one's blood kin are the only ones that matter in this world. He said that to turn on one's blood kin is to turn on yourself. That's why Kurama is so dedicated to his human family and why Urameshi is felt obligated to help Raizen."

"Oh, brother," Rinku groaned, rolling his eyes. "You actually believe that?"

"But Father said-"

"_'Father said this'! 'Father said that'!_ You know what? **I** say that your dad's full of crap," the brunette waved his arms in the air as he released his frustration. Turning to his friend, jade eyes looked straight into violet ones with determination. "Look, I realize that thus is your father I'm talking about, and I know he was a great leader, but there are somethings that he doesn't know jack squat about! I'll have you know that there are lots of apparitions out there that have been friends for years without so much as a drop of blood relations!

Take King Enki's wife, Lady Koko, for example. She and Miss Natsume have been friends since they were both little girls. They first met when they were about our age and are still really good friends to this day. They're always visiting and training with each other. Koko says that they're _'BFFs'_..."

"_'BFFs'_?"

"Best Friends Forever, duh...."

"But if what you say is true, then why did Father-"

"You know what I think?" Rinku asked, scratching his nose in a carefree manner. Not waiting for an answer, he continued with his confident aura. "I think your dad's just a jealous, skeptical old goat who doesn't like the idea of his son having what he can't."

"Why you..." The Gandara heir growled at the insults aimed toward his father. His power level began to rise as his fists crackled with chartreuse energy. "_How dare you!_"

"I dare because I'm not an idiot," the demon's anger was dismissed with a simple wave of the hand. "Kurama told me all about your dad and Yoko. How they were the best of friends for centuries until Yoko tried to have him assasinated. I honestly can't blame the dude for not trusting people. I mean, he trusted Yoko with his life, only to have the creep pay someone to try and take it away. Talk about dirty. It takes a real creep to throw that kind of friendship back into someone's face! But not all apparitions are like that. Not all demons are just out to benefit themselves. Some just want to live their lives with those they care about."

"_Pfthh..._ yeah right."

"Shura? Shura look at me." Reaching over, the brunette gently took ahold of the goat's horn, a gesture that was reserved only him and only him. Violet eyes shined with confusion, and Rinku clasped the bare shoulder. "Look... we're friends, alright? And no matter what people say, no matter what people think, we will always be friends. I promise you, Shura, that I value our friendship way too much to let something as stupid as age or public viewpoint ruin it. Do you understand?"

"I think so... but isn't that exactly what Yoko said to my father?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Then how do I know that you won't turn on me like he did? How can you be so sure?"

"Hmm..." Rinku frowned as he pondered this riddle over. He knew that he did not ever want to hurt his friend, and that a simple promise would not be good enough for him. Still, he not about to be outsmarted by the young goat's father, who never really took a liking to him in the first place. _There has to be an answer to this,_ he mused, wishing that his grandmother were still alive. She was always full of good advice and solutions to troubling problems like this. Zeru had always said that humans would flock from all around just to gain her guidance. Sometimes she would use magic to help solve their problems, but most times it was simple parlor tricks and implications. _Nonna always said that symbolism is more often then not more powerful then the physical... That's it! _The boy smiled as an idea began to form in his head. Casting his friend a genuine grin, he responded with utter confidence. "We could always become blood brothers!"

"Huh?" Shura's face faulted as he tried to take in the suggestion.

"Yeah! You said yourself that blood kin was the most important thing to a demon, and _Nonna_ - er, I mean my grandmother use to do it all the time when I was little. See, whenever two people wanted to swear their loyalty as equeals to each other, they would have her perform the _Blood Oath_ for them!"

"What's a... _Blood Oath_?"

"It's a ceremony where two or more people mingle their blood together. It was used as a sign of loyalty and fellowship between really close friends. Friends that viewed each other as brothers. So what do you say? You wanna be brothers? We can't really betray each other so easily if we have the same blood in our veins, now can we?"

"Well... I suppose not..."

"Then let's do it!"

"What?" Shura stuttered at the smaller demon's enthusiasm. "You mean right here? Right now? Don't we need some kind of physician to perform the procedure?"

"Procedure?" The brunette laughed as he scrambled for his shoulder bag of tricks. "What procedure? All we need is a nice sharp knife and the right words."

"Right words?" Shura repeated, his voice laced with skepticism. "You mean as in magic words? Don't tell me that you actually believe in that nonsense?"

"Well, yeah," Rinku scoffed. "I mean, most of my family are _Fattucchieri!_"

"_Japanese_, Rinku, if you don't mind," Shura rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Look, Grandmother _was_ a witch! She learned all about this stuff from her mama, who learned it from _her_ mama, who learned it from- well, you get the idea. Anyways, this stuff has always been in my family."

"Is that a fact?"

"Yep, and she taught me everything she knew! Now I know it's in here somewhere," he continued to rumage through his pouch before pulling out his folding knife. "Ah-hah! Here it is!"

Chuu had given him the weapon a few years back in honor of his two-hundreth birthday, claiming that every young man deserved a good knife to call his own. According to the others, the drunken oaf had given up a good whole year's worth of alcohol money to have the gift specially crafted.

Constructed of high quality, heat treated prism-titanium from the Makai, the spear-point blade glimmered in a rainbow of colors as he released it with a quick flick of the wrist. The four inch handle was carved out from the wood of a Onyx Elder tree and was inlaid with mother-of-peal with rare Ruramari stones embedded down along the center.

"I know what I'm doing," Rinku insisted, offering the young goat a smile of reassurance. "If your up to it, this could solve our problem. Trust me, it really works! I've seen lots of people do this growing up, and I garentee that it really works."

"Well... I suppose there would be no harm in doing it."

"Great!" The youthful apparition grinned as though Christmas had come early. "Now just follow my lead."

Shura watched in fasination as the prismatic blade sunk into the calloused skin of the smaller boy's palm. Ruby droplets began to immediately well up to the surface in a thin line. The metallic scent was nearly intoxicating as it wafted passed his nose.

"_My blood..._" Rinku spoke to himself with a slight hiss as the blade sliced through his skin before offering the knife over to his friend. Seeing that the goat was hesitant in self-mutilating his flesh, the child rolled his eyes and reached over to grasp the pale arm. "Do you want to do this or not?"

"Of course I do, but-"

"Then hold still."

"Ow! How about a little warning next time?"

"Oh, quit whining you big baby," the brunette scolded as the Gandara heir's flawless palm was stained red. Offering yet another reassuring smile, he clasped the injured hand with that of his own. "Now repeat after me: _My blood. Your Blood. Our Blood..._"

"_My Blood. Your Blood. Our Blood..._"

"_Blood kin forever._"

"_Blood kin... forever_**,**" Shura waited for more and frowned when he noticed that his friend was merely smiling back. "Is that it?"

"Yep! That's about it!"

"_Idiot!_" Jade eyes widened as the clone wretched his hand away with a scowl. "Nothing happened! All you did was mutilate our hands and quite possibly exposed us to some type of blood-borne disease! What the hell is the matter with you? I can't believe I actually listened to you! There's no such thing as magic!"

"Yes there is! Magic is real and something did happen! You just can't tell yet!"

"Whatever..." Shura got up to fetch his shirt, only to realize that his hand was still bleeding. "Oh, this is just great! Now I'm going to have blood all over my clothes! Father is going to be furious!"

"Here... if you let me, I could..."

Violet eyes narrowed dangerously as the brunette offered to help heal the wound. A moment passed before Shura rolled his eyes and plopped to the ground cross-legged, holding his bloody hand out as he propped his elbow on his knee. Resting his head against his fist, he watched emotionlessly as Rinku hovered his left hand over the cut, allowing translucent baby blue energy to wash over it. The boy's face was lit up with a soft glow that made him almost angelic-looking, which only intensified as the blue-green eyes became alight with concentration. The young goat's ears began to twitch as a small but pleasant tingle ran throughout his hand, sending a shiver up his spine.

"Better?"

"Uh..." It took awhile for coherent thought to kick back in and only then did Shura realize he had been staring at the other boy. Red-faced, he immediately inspected his hand so he need not look into those jade green eyes. The blood had clotted and the flesh had knitted itself back together almost flawlessly, but a thin line of raised skin could still be seen. He did not mind, however, and flexed his hand experimentally. "It'll do, I suppose."

"I'm really sorry about the scar." Rinku refused to meet Shura's gaze as he began to heal his own wound. "I had forgotten about that part."

"It's fine," he shrugged. Taking another look at the line, he noticed that it was not as ugly as he first thought. Rather, it was almost like another palm line more then anything else. It felt so natural, as if it had always been there. Bringing up to his face for a closer inspection, he ran a slender finger over the mark. "Will it ever go away?"

"No... Grandmother said that it's suppose to serve as a reminder of the oath. It should fade and be less noticable over time, but the scar will always be there. I'm sorry, Shura. I should have remembered."

"Ah, don't worry about it," Shura grinned. "Father has a lot more scars then this little nick, so it's no big deal. Besides, it's kind of cool looking."

"You really don't care?"

"Of course not! It's just a scar, and now I'll always have a reminder of my new little brother!"

"What the hell do you mean _'little'_? I'm a good two-hundred years older then you! If anyones the baby brother, it's you!"

"Ah! But I've been biologically enhanced, so I have all the knowledge of a two-hundred and _fifty_ year old! Plus, I'm taller by three whole inches. Beat that, shortie!"

"Who are you calling shortie, you unicorn reject!"

"What did you call me?"

"You heard me! What are you gonna do about it... _Alicorno_?"

"That's it! Prepare to to face my wrath!"

Shura laughed as he tackled the shorter boy playfully, toppling them back onto the grass in a heap. Both found themselves rolling around as they both fought for dominence. Lost in their laughter and drunk on the sun's overbearing rays, the boys didn't even realize where they were headed until it was too late.

_SPLASH!!!_

A cold jolt coursed through Rinku's petite form as the two of them rolled straight into the river. Brain rattled with confusion, he could only watch in awe at the small bubbles that escaped from his mouth. A trail of various sized air-pockets floated haphazardly upward. Lazily he poked one, causing the it to pop as the air collapsed on itself.

_Air..._ For some reason, the single word made him giggle like a lunatic as more air pocket emitted forth. Racking his mind, the boy tried to remember what it was about the word that held such importance. _Air... air... air- Oh shit! AIR!_

A frenzy of bubbles filled the water as he screamed in panic, his need for air having never been more obvious. His limbs kicked and clawed in a futile attempt to find his to the surface. Black spots began to appear before his eyes from the lack of oxygen until finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he felt the mucky river floor squish between his toes. With a determined grimace, he kicked up from the ground with all that he had left in him, shooting up like a rocket and breaking the water's surface with a strangled gasp.

"_*kophf**kophf*_...?" Rinku's throat was raw as he choked on much needed air. Splashing in circles, he attempted to gain his bearings as he noticed that his friend was nowhere to be found. "Shura? Shura! Where are you?"

Everything had changed. The sky, which had been bright and sunny only moments before, was now filled with dark clouds, casting the area in a gloom that suggested a horrid storm on it's way. The luscious green grass had turned to dry dirt and was littered with shriveled black leaves that had fallen from the decrepit trees that were withered and broken apart. A branch fell to the hardened ground with a sickening thud, startling a flock of ravens into full flight.

Startled at the sudden cackling and rustling of feathers, Rinku leaped around with a splash. The sky grew even darker against the black ink blot of plumage, causing the water's temperature to drastically drop several degrees. A sense of dread filled him as the water's began to grow chaotic, swashing him around like a rubber duck in the bath. The rapid currents struck out like one demon possessed as he ought to stay afloat and make it to shore. The frigid waves bit at his skin, clawing at him with strong fingers.

After a moment of untamed fury, the waters become deathly still just as fast as they had raged forth. The young demon was took this sudden change in scenery to think. A part of his mind screamed at him to get to get his sorry ass back to the shore where he had less chance of drowning, but the other half was too frightened to comprehend just what a shore was. Unfortunately, it was the latter that was currently controlling his body, so Rinku could do nothing but wave his arms gently to keep him buoyed up.

_What the hell was that about?_ he asked, his mind slowly sensitizing as he gathered his wits. Confusion was evident as he slowly swam a bit with no particular destination in mind. It was then that he realized there was something in the water with him.

It was almost unnoticeable at first, just a warm sensation by his foot, but slowly it became much more apparent. A heated spot in the water rested against his bare foot before turning into tendrils that wove its way up his pant leg and around his thigh. In a disturbing way, it reminded him greatly of the time Chuu had peed in Master Genkai's onsen tub. Before he could contemplate the unsettling notion, however, the tendrils grow more solid. Rinku could barely utter a scream before the tightened their hold on his legs, pulling him down into the murky depths.

He tried to fight, he truly did. But as the tendrils continued to wrap themselves around his small body, he felt himself growing weak. Closing his eyes, his mind was becoming muddled from the lack of oxygen and fear as his arms sloshed through the heavy, sticky water...

_Wait a damn minute, _Rinku eyes wet wide open in realization. _This isn't water! Where-_

Everything around him was a translucent green. Reaching out to inspect the liquid, he blinked as his fingers met against smooth glass. With a pressed hand, he felt along the flawless surface, only to discover that he was no longer in the river waters that ran through the Dark Forest behind Genkai's temple, but in a cylinder tank of some sort.

"I truly am sorry, my son, but you left me no choice." a voice spoke, and Rinku thought it sounded somewhat familier. It was hard to place it, seeing as it sounded resonated, much like the time Jin had a plastic trash bin stuck on his head. "I would have loved to let you age at your own pace. For four years now I have put up with your so-called 'phase', but your current actions have proved that I cannot just stand aside any longer.

Perhaps I was not clear enough on the subject," the voice continued. Even with the distorted sound, the child could sense an aura of disappointment and frustration laced into the words. "You cannot allow yourself to show weakness in anyone's eyes. That's what friends want. They want you bare your soul to them. They want you to trust them enough to place your own life in their hands. And once you do they will take advantage of you! I have told you this time and time again, and yet you constintly refuse to achknowledge that fact! Damnit, Shura!"

By now the voice was dripping with resentment and hatred, something that made him flinch in instinctual fear.

_Hold on... Shura? Why would they think I was Shura? Unless... _Rinku had a hunch as he attempted to make out the tall, distorted image that appeared ion the opposite side of his glass prison. A blur of long, inky black hair was recognizable, as was the long horns that jutted out from underneath. Judging by the long, purplish-grey blotch that covered most of the body, he could only guess that it was a trench coat of some kind. Rinku let out a growl as he realized just who the speaker was. _Lord Yomi... But why-_

"Now don't be that way," the former demon lord scolded in a mocking manner. "I'm only looking out for your well-being. That is what fathers do you know. We protect our children from their own self-destruction and from those who would intend them harm... like that little hellion, Rinku.

Do not worry. You will realize just how better off you are once the serum takes effect. As a child you are blind to the dangers he places you in, but once you are grown, you will realize just how much he was polluting your mind with false notions and desires. Your mind will be clear once more."

"I will never give up my friendship with Rinku," the brunette screamed out as he tried to break through the glass, surprised when his best friend's voice emitted from his mouth. He had absolutely no control over his body's action. It was as though he was someone else entirely. "No matter what you do to me, I'll never let you or anyone else tell me who to trust!"

"I was afraid of this," Yomi sighed. "Your mind has already been tainted too much. The aging serum may not be able to take it's full effect. But never you worry, my son. I had anticipated this, so I will make sure that you are never used by that lesser being ever again."

Warning bells went off throughout the boy's head as his friend recognized the meaning behind the words. For reasons he was unable to understand, he began to thrash about in a vain attempt to free himself from the tank.

"You... you can't! I won't let you!"

"Oh, I think you'll find that I can," the older goat gloated in amusement. "And I will, should your stubbornness prove it to be necessary."

"Stay the hell away from Rinku! He has nothing to do with this! You- you're crazy! How can you do this?"

"..."

"Answer me!"

"It is my duty as your sire," Yomi seemed to grow tired of his son's emotional outbursts, for his image became more distorted as he moved away from the glass. "As horrible as it may be, I hope you can forgive me."

"_FATHER!_"

"There, there, Shura. I know that the thought of losing your playmate will be painful, but the time has now come to make you mature past such trivial loses."

A sharp prick was felt in Rinku's neck, much like a bee sting, before -

_"AHHGRRAHH - !"_

Pain consumed all of Rinku's senses as his vision was filled with flashes of green and white. All he could do was scream as all his nerves were set aflame by some unknown force. His blood seemed to boil within his veins as an unknown substance was felt coursing through it. He tried to fight back the pain, tried to be strong for his friends sake and his own, but he lost all control as the warm tendrils were replaced with ice and clawed at his brain.

Within the flashes of pain, he could just barely make out scenes burning themselves into his mind.

The shattering of glass was heard, followed by the screams of various others. For a brief moment, Rinku could have sworn that he heard Yomi screaming for Shura to stop, but it was over powered by the distinct smell of fresh blood and death. Soon the ground was littered with forms that were clothed in red soaked lab coats.

Another flash of blinding pain and Rinku found himself somewhere in the underbelly of what he could only guess was Gandara. The metal buildings stood tall like menacing giants as the lightening reflected off of them. Garbage littered the ground, forming a revolting mulch as it was mixed with the acid rain that was constantly falling from the capital's skies. Rotting decay and chemical fumes filled his nostrils. Pushing the urge to vomit down, he watched on as his body moved of it's own accord throughout the labrynth of alleys and dead ends.

Another flash and three corpses were lying before him, dead. Although the bodies were mutilated beyond recognition, Rinku was able to identify the purple tunics they wore to be that of Yomi's palace guard. The area was silent say for the heavy breathing that was soon followed by shouts and running.

As the blackouts continued, he found himself faced with more and more carcasses. The smell of death and blood overpowering his senses to the point of a potential intoxicated high.

A sense of rage filled his entire being as his vision was once again claimed by the pain, only this time he found himself hidden within bushes. Despite his lack of scenery, he was able to tell from where he was positioned that it was just at the close of day. The brunette felt his hand rise to push aside the branches and was greeted by an unexpected sight. Only about twenty or so feet away was a traditional _Minka_ home. The sun's setting light could be seen clearly as it bathed the green grass in a golden apple shade and was sucked into the thatched roof, all while setting the windows aflame with molten gold as the light reflected off. Just off to the side, he could make out a small garden that was alive with vegetation, but what really drew his attention was the small boy that was occupying it.

The scent of human was strong in the air as the child, no older then five years, watered the plants for the night. He was dressed in simple denim overalls and a white tee as he proceeded to pull a garden net over the garden in hopes to protect it from nighttime predators. At least, he tried to. The wire netting proved to be a stronger opponent as it weighed the boy down. His brown, bowl cut hair stuck up in odd angles as he attempted to toss the net, his skin glistening in a fine sweat that made his scent all the more powerful.

Rinku could not understand why the human's smell was making him fidget. He knew that some demons would get this way when hunting a human down, but the brunette had never been one to favor the flesh of humans. He supposed it came with spending so much time around humans that he just never saw them as food so much as a source of income. Growing up in a traveling caravan, he had learned that humans were more useful alive then dead. Before he could ponder this more, a noise drew his attention to the back _shoji._

A young woman, about twenty years old, stood at the doorway. Her long hair was pulled back with a pink hair scarf and, like the child, was a shiny brown that seemed almost auburn in the setting sunlight. She was dressed in a pink, mid-calf length sundress with a long-sleeved, white gauze sweater on top to protect her from the chill of the summer night.

As she leaned against the porch's support beam with crossed arms, Rinku tried to make out the words as she called out to the child, but all he could make out was gibberish. Strangely, he found his heart rate increasing as she laughed at the child's response and tossed her hair over her shoulder, revealing flawlessly tanned skin. The mere sight of her delicious neck made his mouth water. He could smell the mixture of human, sweat and herbs that perfumed her skin from a day of hard work. He could practicaly taste the precious blood that pumped through her veins, and envisioned ripping her throat out.

Fear went through his entire being as he felt his body tense up as the woman moved down to the garden.

_Kill... feed... kill..._

The thoughts filled his head like a mantra as he began to follow her along the brush, stalking her like an animal.

_What am I doing?_

_Kill... feed... kill..._

_No!_ he screamed as his body crouched down low to the ground, watching the woman help untangle the child from the net. He knew what was about to happen, and he could not just stand by and allow it to happen. _Don't hurt them! Please! They didn't do anything! Just leave them alone! Please!_

_Kill... feed... kill... strangle..._

_No!_

_Kill... slay... kill... maul..._

_Run away! Please! Get the hell away from here! Oh spirits! Please!_

_ATTACK! KILL! FEAST!_

**

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**

"NOO...!"

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_**A/N:**_** Terms:**

**Japanese:**

--- _Minka home_ - a traditional japanese home made out of cheap and easy-to-find materials

--- _onsen tub _- a hot springs tub/hot tub

--- _shoji _- Japanese sliding door

**Italian:**

--- _Alicorno_ - Italian for unicorn

--- _Fattucchieri_ - Italian for "hag/witch/wizard" (plural)

--- _Nonna_ - Italian for grandmother


	2. Chapter 2

_**Summery:**_

When Yomi disapproves of his son's friendship with Rinku, he tries to make Shura grow up faster, but something goes wrong. Now a deranged Shura is on the rampage and Rinku just might be the only one to stop him.

_**A/N:**_ terminology is located at end of chapter; please note that this takes place about 5 years after the first Makai Tournament.

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing say for the pathetic time and lack of sleep put into this… and the sadistic mind of putting the following characters through all this [hee-hee-hee!]

_**Warnings:**_language, mental insanity, disturbing news and human consumption

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"Noo..!" Rinku awoke with a start. A cold sweat had plastered itself against his heated skin and his eyes were wide with fright as he clutched at the fabric of his shirt in an attempt to calm his palpitating heart. Blinking around at his surroundings, he found himself perched upon the the window cot wearing nothing but his orange tee and light blue boxers, safe and sound in his room. Gradually his heart began to slow down as he recalled heading up to his room, the disassembled yo-yos that littered his bed and work table serving as a reminder that he had planned on cleaning the components of their monthly grime and ware that had built up.

_Must have dozed off again,_ he sighed in relief. Judging by the throw blanket that had been placed over him, one of his housemates must have come up to check on him and decided to leave him be for the time being. Not that he blamed them. He knew that it was near impossible to get him to bed, even with a bedtime at ten-thirty, and according to the glowing numbers on the wall it was just a little past ten.

Rubbing a hand against his face, he leaned back against the wall as he pulled the yellow blanket up to his neck. A sense of mild peace washed over him as he relished in the rays that shone through the window from the full moon above. Resting his forehead against the window glass, he tried to let its chilled surface and the soothing rays distract him from the abnormal autumn heat that filled the attic room.

Try as he might, though, an uneasiness nagged at him like a mosquito. Rinku knew it was his dream, but the very idea of analyzing it made him queasy. At least, the latter half of the dream made him queasy. He had seen many horrifying things in his two hundred plus years of life, but never and he felt such fear. He thanked his stars that it was just a dream and not a memory like the first half.

Holding his hand out, he gazed in bewitchment at the scar that ran along his calloused palm. The silver moonlight seemed to make it shimmer in the darkness and he could not help but run a finger against it.

"Shura..."

Looking back with closed eyes, he realized that he remembered that day just as clear as if it were yesterday, and not a whole year. He remembered how the two of them had spent the morning training in the Dark Forest while Kurama visited with Master Genkai for a spell. They had gotten so sweaty and the day was so nice that they spent the rest of the afternoon playing in the river. Rinku remembered how they flopped to the grassy riverbank in exhaustion, allowing the sun's warmth to dry their skin. He remembered the sweet aroma of the _Gyoda Hasu_ that grew along the bank, and the buzz of the fuzzy bees as they gathered pollen. He remembered the gentle breeze that brushed his brown locks against his face, causing strands of overgrown hair to tickle at his nose.

He also remembered the fear and uncertainty in Shura's voice, something that he never imagined witnessing from his best friend. It was in that single moment that the Gandara heir bared his soul to him. A pang of sorrow had gown through him and Rinku remembered wanting nothing more then to make sure that their friendship would never end.

That was why he had suggested that they become brothers. He had performed the basic ceremony and neither of them had told a soul of the transaction. It was their little secret, something that they could call their own, and no matter what might come their way, their bond would remain interwoven for all times.

Now, however, Rinku had a feeling that their bond was about to be put to the test for some reason. It was silly, he knew, to be so disturbed over a simple bad dream, but this was somehow different. Perhaps it was because of their bond. He recalled his mother saying that the bond would be stronger then that of actual brothers. That the bonded would become closer then any could fathom. He was beginning to wonder if this is what she meant.

Rinku was jarred from his thoughts as a familiar demonic aura made itself known. Craning his neck a little, he could just make out a figure with long, blood red hair stepping up to the front engawa.

_Kurama?_ Confusion and worry bubbled up in him as he listened to the fox's footsteps echo along the walkway. Noiselessly, he slid off the window seat and over to the trapdoor that led to the folding attic ladder that Suzuka had bolted to the ground. Fortunately, whichever one of his housemates that came up to check on him had left the trapdoor open. Carefully, he crab crawled down the steps to the second level, where he crept along to the interior balcony. _Kurama never visits unless he has news... and at this hour? Somethings up._

Glancing through the balcony railing, the child made sure to keep his aura low enough to fool the others into thinking he was still asleep while he watched as Touya went to open the door.

"Kurama," the ice master spoke mild surprise as he invited the fox in. "To what do we owe this unexpected honor?"

"I'm sorry to bother you so late-"

"Ain't nothin' ta be worryin' about," Jin spoke up from the kitchen in the next room. "Tis pretty early for the likes of us."

"Indeed," Touya confirmed. "We're usually up for about another hour or so-"

"So why don'tcha come on in and join us fer a drink or two?" Chuu's boisterous voice echoed from the kitchen and Rinku had to cover his mouth in hopes to stifle his giggles.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't- "

"Yes, do come in and have a drink," Shishi spoke up. "You don't have to worry about the drunk lummox here. Suzuka is in the kitchen making his famous _Gorgon Margaritas_, so it's perfectly safe."

"Aye, that he is! All of us are goin' be havin' a pint more or less. Even Touya!"

"Everyone except for Rinku, you mean." The brunette flinched when Kurama spoke his name with amusement and strained to hear more. "I saw him asleep in the attic window."

"Aye, the nipper fled to 'is room a good few hours ago. Said he was plannin' to work on some of those there gizmos of 'is." _They're skill toys, you drunkard!_ Rinku fumed at hearing his guardian call his beloved weapons _gizmos_. "I'm a bit worried that Blondie here's rubbin' off on 'im."

"And just how is that a bad thing? I would think that you would be pleased! After all, better he become a man of intellect and beauty like me then a repulsive drunkard like you!"

"Anyways," Touya cut in before a fight could ensue. "Rinku was already asleep when I went to get him for supper. He had been feeling a little worn out with the school year starting back up again, so we decided to just let him be... but I have a feeling that you aren't here for his sleeping habits or a drink."

"No, I'm afraid not," Kurama confirmed, a sudden seriousness in this voice. "I'm sorry to say that we have a very serious situation on our hands."

"Should I be wakin' the laddie?"

"Actually, I believe that it would be best if Rinku were to be left out of this. At least for the time being." Kurama sounded wary at the mention of the child. Rinku could barely hear him as he mumbled to himself. "He's too involved as it is. I'm not sure how he'll handle the situation."

"What are you on about," Chuu demanded. The parental instincts to protect his ward had kicked in and had started to sober him up. "What do you mean Rinku's involved? What the bloody 'ell is goin' on?"

"It's Shura."

Kurama's voice was harsh as he spoke the young goat's name, and Rinku felt his heart stop as everything went cold. The other's seemed to understand a bit more on Rinku's involvement. It was no secret that the two adolescents were the best of friends, and both could get extremely unreasonable when it came to their friendship. In Rinku's eyes, Shura could do no wrong that was not excusable. Chuu, who was completely sober by this point, was the first to break the stunned silence that had descended upon the house.

"Huh? What about the runt?"

"Apparently Shura has been... _acting out_." Kurama explained slowly, considering his words carefully. He knew that he was treading in the proverbial dragon's den by bringing up the youngest of their unorthodox family. "Although he has always been a bit unruly, he's actions of late have proved to be quite disconcerting for Yomi. For the past year, Shura's has been questioning Yomi at any given oppertunity, blatantly whines when he doesn't get his way and at times will simply go against his father's wishes. Frankly, he's -"

"Being childish?" Suzuka asked. "Kurama, I realize that being stuck in that revolting human form may have addled your thinking, but isn't Shura just that? A child?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, Suzuka is correct," Touya added. "Despite having his father's genes, Shura is still a child. It's only natural for him to be rebellious and curious at times."

"Didn't Yomi ever act like a brat in his youth? Even once?"

"That's just the thing," Kurama growled and Rinku felt the hairs on his neck stand on end. "In his youth, Yomi was an obstinate, ungrateful hellion that wouldn't admit he was wrong if his actions left him half-dead. It wasn't until he got older that he became somewhat more level-headed... Which is why he felt the need to accelerate Shura's cloning progression."

"What do you mean he _'accelerate Shura's cloning progression'_?" one of the housemates asked, but Rinku was too focused on Kurama to catch who it was.

"Yomi felt that Shura would be easier to handle if he were to mature past the adolescent phase... so he had his scientists work on a formula that would speed up his aging." Kurama must have been having trouble seeing straight, because Rinku heard a chair scrape against the floor. "It took them a good while to make, but they eventually did it. About five hours ago, Yomi injected Shura with the serum."

"Jus' like that?" Jin sounded torn between horrifyied awe and doubt. "The laddie didn' put up a struggle or nottin'?"

"Oh, he put up a fight, alright," Kurama chuckled grimly. "It almost took all that Yomi had just to get him into the incubation chamber, but even then he fought. It wasn't until Yomi threatened to kill Rinku that Shura somewhat gave in."

"_He what?_" The sound of glasses breaking and chairs toppling filled the house as Chuu yelled in pure rage. The others tried to shush him, but it was obvious that they agreed with him wholeheartedly on the situation. "Why that no-good, rottin' - I'll kill 'im! I'll rip 'is spine out 'fore I let 'im anywhere _near_ my boy!"

"I agree with you wholeheartedly," Kurama attempted to sooth the usually drunk beast. "Yomi was out of line when he threatened Rinku, and it was a mistake on his part for more then one reason."

"What do you mean?"

"By threatening the one friend that Shura had, Yomi immediately severed any and all respect Shura had towards him. Should Shura ever be cured, he will no doubt resent his father for many years to come."

"Wha' ya be meanin' by _'cured'_? You mean that the formula worked?"

"Not... exactly. That's were we have a situation. About half-way through the procedure, Shura had a reaction to the serum. He went berserk and broke free from the incubation chamber. They tried tracking him throughout the city, but it only resulted in Yomi's guards turning up dead."

"The runt killed them?" Chuu sounded shocked.

"According to the scientists, Shura's DNA was suppose to remain just inconstant enough so that they could make any needed alterations, but apparently his body must have fully stabilized without them realizing it. They formed the formula around the concept of unstable DNA structure, so Shura's body rejected it... At least it tried.

It seems the serum had an unique reverse effect. Instead of aging Shura's body and maturity, it regressed him back to the basic animalistic mentality that makes up a demon's instinct."

"You don't mean..."

"I'm afraid so. In an attempt to mold Shura into the perfect heir, Yomi has inadvertently turned his own son into a blood-thirsty monster."

"So I take it that Shura managed to make it past Gandara's borders?" Touya asked after a moment. His voice was no longer that of an apparition, but that of a shinobi. "That's why came here, am I correct? To help track him down before he does anymore damage?"

"I'm afraid that the damage is already done."

"Whadda mean?"

"Shura has already taken thirteen lives. Four of the five scientists that were still in the lab when he broke out and seven of the palace guards during his escape out of the city."

"What of the last two?"

Kurama was quiet, as though musing over how to answer the question.

"Under normal circumstances, the _Spirit Defense Force_ would be called in and sent to apprehend him. However, Lord Enki and Koenma had convinced King Enma to allow them territorial jurisdiction, since all the offenses had occurred in the Makai. But as of an hour ago, it has just officially become a Reikai case. The last two victims... were human; a mother and her five year old son. He devoured them."

Rinku felt as though a sword had been shoved through his heart. He could not think, he could not move or speak, he could barely even breathe. All he could do was slouch back against the wall in shock as terror and sadness overwhelmed him. Before Lord Enkai had taken control over the Makai, the punishment for an apparition to take a human life was simply imprisonment. Now, however, it was a violation of the _Border Treaty_ and as such was punishable by death.

"_Chyort voz'mi!_" Touya cussed as the others tried to fully process the situation that had presented itself. "You were right, Kurama. Rinku should not become involved until this is sorted out. This will devastate him."

"Agreed, but keeping it from him may be harder then you think," Kurama informed them. "The humans were killed only a little over an hour's run from here."

"_Sweet mother of Enma..._"

Rinku's mind was immediately drawn back into his dream and he felt himself gag as it became clear. He knew he had seen that woman and child before, but it was not until then that he remembered where. She the _Kakigori Lady _that he had seen in a neighboring village a little over a hundred miles from their home. She was an _ichiko_, a human fortune teller, that would sell herbs, vegetables and _kakigori_ at the local market during the warm months and read people's fortunes. She was a kind woman and a loving single mother that was always willing to help others, whether human or demon. She was always kind to Rinku, and would give him an extra shot of flavoring, free-of-charge.

Her son was a bright little human boy that was always around. It was as if his only joy was seeing his mother smile, and would do all he could to help her. He was smarter then the other children, and it was obvious that he would grow up to be the most promising student in his school. At least, until tonight.

Sensing the urge to weep like the child he was, he immediately bit his lip as he placed a hand over his mouth to prevent the others from hearing his choked sobs. Never before had he felt like such a helpless child. He wanted to help Shura, but he did not know what to do. Kurama's voice broke through his thoughts.

"According to my informants, the humans were slain about an hour ago, but judging by the remains, Shura took his time in eating them. The mother was killed first and eaten, probably while protecting her son, who fled to the house. There are signs of what looks like a struggle, but it was more then likely a frenzied attempt to find the boy. His corpse was found partially devoured in the storage loft. He had left them probably only a good hour ago, about ten minutes before our forces arrived.

That's why I'm here. Despite all that Shura's done, Lord Enki still believes that he's not at fault. He believes that Shura is just a child that was coerced by forces outside his control, and has a team of the Makai's most talented scientists working on an antidote that could nullify the effects, using what was savaged from Yomi's lab.

But none of this will even matter if the Spirit Defense Force finds him before we do. King Enma has made him a top priority, and they have been given orders to kill if deemed nessicary. Needless to say, they're more of a _'kill first, ask questions later'_ bunch.

The plan is simple. Find Shura first, and get him to Raizen's Territory where he will be granted sanctuary. Once there, the Reikai will have no choice but to leave him be for the time being. They won't risk an attack on the Demon King's own palace. Not with an army of A+ class demons and several S-class demons protecting the walls."

"It sounds like a good plan," Touya reasoned. "But getting him there won't be an easy task. How do you propose we get him there? Do you even know where he is?"

"Lord Enki has granted permission to incapacitate Shura, so long as there's no permanent damage." Rinku could hear the rustle of paper and guessed that Kurama had brought a map or something. "As for his whereabouts, Shura should be in the Dark Forest by now. We've narrowed his precise location to be in the eastern section right here. If that's true, and it most likely is, then he's most likely only a good twenty minutes from here."

"Do ye think he coul' be aheadin' ta the house?" Jin asked.

"No. Judging by his current pattern, he's going to avoid civilization for a while. He only attacked the humans because he was hungry, so he'll probably head deep into the forest to avoid a confrontation -"

Rinku did not bother to hear what more Kurama had to say. He did not need to.

_Figli di Puttana! I'm __**'too involved'**__? Minchiata!,_ he seethed, determination filling his very being. With the stealth of a shinobi, the child made his way back up the stairs and into the solace of his room. _There's no way in all three worlds I'm gonna just sit back while Shura's life is at stake! No way am I gonna let some self-righteous, good-for-nothin' Reikai lapdogs put him done like a rabid animal!_ _I'll help him even if it kills me! I have to! I have to do something!_

The brunette began to search for his shoes and jeans when he felt a familiar aura making it's way toward his room. Without a second thought, he leaped back to his bed at the window and pulled the blanket back up. Closing his eyes, he rested his head against the window glass as he was before. Remembering what Roto had taught him in the art of deception, he took a deep breath of air and slowly exhaled, slowing his breathing pace to that of one who is asleep.

_A Zingaro never lets his guard down,_ Rinku mentally chanted, his family's mantra ringing clear. _A Zingaro is never truly blind. A Zingaro is always seeing. A Zingaro is always seeing... always seeing..._

A familiar drowsiness began to slowly overwhelm him as he felt his senses clearing up.

His nostrils were assaulted with odors that were otherwise ignored. The musty stench of unwashed laundry that was piled up in the far corner of his bathroom and the earthy scent of wood shavings from the unfinished projects that littered his work shelf. The chemical fumes from various paint canisters, tins and tubes filled with wax and lubricants, and the varnish that had yet to dry. Despite these putrid smells, he could still make out the sweet fragrance of the flowers and herbs that Miss Maya had helped him plant in the window garden next to his bed, in hopes to soothe his adolescent, hormonal soul. The strong, pleasant scent of the bluebells to help with his nightmares. The bitterness of the foxgloves and heather, both planted to keep evil at bay. And of course, the pansies to help him with his love problems. Tilting his head a mere fraction, he could faintly make out the ivy that climbed along the side of the house, intertwined with fuchsia.

Every little sound was amplified tenfold, from the glass candle holders swaying against the interior air currents on pewter chains to the soft rising of the blanket against his chest. He could hear the katydids and crickets chirping as they crawled through the the garden, their melodies forming an orchestra in the night as they melded with the gentle breeze. Downstairs, he could make out the sound of tinkling glasses and wooden chairs being dragged across the floor. The rough sounds added a percussion to the ensemble, and Rinku smiled at the composition.

The music was interrupted, however, as the wooden steps groaned out from strain as the weighted footsteps treaded on up. Remembering the task at hand, he continued focus.

The noise became louder as they reached the room and made their way towards his position. In the autumn heat, Rinku could feel a cool silhouette cloaking him as the visitor stood above him. The all too familiar scent of alcohol and cheap aftershave bombarded his senses and the brunette could not help but squirm in discomfort. An extremely large, calloused hand rested atop of his head for a brief moment before lifting him up and placing him horizontally on the bed mattress. He felt his head rest against the large palm before being slowly eased onto his soft pillow, followed the mattress dipping under the behemoth's weight.

"Hey, now," Chuu's usually boisterously rough voice whispered calmly. Combing his thick fingers in the chocolate locks of hair, he stroked the child's head in an attempt to ease him back into a deep sleep. "Just head on back to dreamland and get some shut eye. Some of us are gonna head out fer a bit, but Blondie'll be downstairs if ya be needin' anything, alright? I need you to stay here at the house for me, 'kay? Just stay in the sack, and everything'll be apples."

Rinku felt guilt gnawing at the pit of his stomach as he felt his giant guardian brush the hair out of his face. The purple haired demon leaned down and planted a loving kiss on his small forehead, the coarse whiskers grazing his skin in a ticklish manner.

"Love ya, mate."

"Mmm..." Rinku feigned a sleep-induced mumble. "Luh-uhve yah... mmm... too-who..."

"That's my nipper," Chuu beamed as he adjusted the blanket to shield the youth from the potential chill of the night. Rinku could feel the giant's gaze upon him as the two sat in a moment of silence before feeling the mattress let up. The sound of dragon hide boots reverberated throughout the room like a drum before coming to a stop. The strike of a match and the tinkle of glass was heard as the brunette was soon able to make out a small light through his eyelids. Upon smelling the lavender and sandlewood scented fumes, he realized that his guardian had taken the liberty to light his hanging candles. With a voice even gentler then before, Chuu began to recite an all too familiar prayer for every candle lit. "_Dear night-lights, protect my sleeping babe. Burn clear and steadfast tonight. Guard him from forces that mean him harm, and keep his dreams free from suffering... Dear night-lights, protect my sleeping babe. Burn clear and steadfast tonight. Guard him from forces that mean him harm, and keep his dreams free from suffering... Dear night-lights, protect my sleeping babe..._"

Once the candles were all lit and the prayers all said, Chuu's withdrawing footsteps could be heard decending down the steps. Rinku's ears twitched in anticipation as he waited for the snap of the shoji door and the sound of footsteps on the engawa before letting out a sigh of relief.

"Sorry Chuu," he apologized to thin air as he flung the blanket off of him and onto the ground before leaping off of the mattress. He grabbed his jeans from the floor at the side of the bed and began to hop as he attempted to put them on while heading over to fetch his white sneakers from their hiding place under the work table. "I know you mean well, but right now Shura's the one that needs protection, not me."

After tying his laces, Rinku stood up and glanced at the contents that littered his desk's surface.

_Aw, man,_ he groaned. _Of all the nights Yomi could've made Shura go psycho, he just __**had **__to pick the one when all my yo-yo's are stripped down. Oh well, no use wasting time bitching about it._

Crouching down to open the bottom drawer, he pulled out a rectangular jewelry box. Made of rosewood, the arabesque style box was accented with a _Cimaruta Pentagram_ interwoven in the center. Previously belonging to his mother, the original key had been lost ages ago during one of the Ningenkai's meaningless wars, but Rinku was able to able to open the golden lock with a spar piece of aura-filled yo-yo string until Zeru forged a new one out of a spare fork in their hotel room during the Dark Tournament. Upon opening the lid, he sorted through the small treasures he had collected over the past century and hidden in the box's large, black velvet clad interior. His mother's golden heart locket with the diamond chip that stored a picture of the two of them, a small lock of his _Nonna_'s silver hair tied with pink ribbon and wrapped in a lace handkerchief, some high-class glass shooter marbles he had hustled from some snobbish human boys during the mid-19th century, some lira coins and a sapphire ring he pilfered right off a noblewoman's hand during a performance at the turn of the century. There was a silver corno amulet strung along a leather cord and the _Cimaruta_ that he use to wear as an infant. He shifted through some bronze bells, a pewter thimble, random clay beads and even some corks and bottlecaps from Chuu's bottles.

Finding the knife Chuu had given him for his birthday, Rinku grabbed it only to discover an old photograph resting underneath. Despite the sepia tones, the colors were still fresh in his mind's eye.

Taken in front of a caravan wagon, the sepia image showed a small family gathered together in a welcoming huddle. An elderly man with a head of short, spiky white hair that stuck out from underneath a brown flat cap was seated atop of a large leather traveling trunk. A wide grin of pearly teeth could be seen from behind a bushy mustache and goatee while even bushier eyebrows just barely concealed his jade eyes that glinted with mischievousness behind gold-rimmed spectacles. He was dressed in light brown slacks and suspenders, with an off-white peasant shirt underneath a forest green vest. He wore plain leather shoes with black cord laces on his feet. Even underneath all of the bushy white head, facial and ear hair, a pair of pointed ears could be seen sticking out.

Across from him, in a rickety old rocking chair on his left, was an elderly human female. Her face, like the man's, was filled with wrinkles that did not match with the large, child-like smile and sapphire eyes. Silver hair was pulled back into a traditional bun and held in place with a red head scarf. She wore an off-white peasant blouse under a red gown, navy blue ribbons tying the puffed sleeves to her arms. A celadon and goldenrod striped apron was tied around her waist and leather slip ons donned her feet. Layers of silver and golden ropes strung with glass and clay beads adorned her neck while bangles dangled from her ankles and wrists. Golden hoops pierced her ears.

Stationed upon her lap was a young babe that could pass as a two year old by human standards. His brown hair was wild and untamed as he smiled at the camera, his arms too short in the handed down, mauve colored shirt and a pair of worn, brown slacks were hemmed just right so that he might one day grow into the large pants. Leather cords were tied against his wrists and waist to keep the garments from falling off of his small frame.

Behind the two of them was a young woman that looked to be around seventeen years of age who had rested a petite hand against her elder's shoulder while the other held onto the babe's small hand. Her curly brown hair went down to her waist and was pulled partially back with a crown braid that reached her mid-back, and was interwoven with various pastel ribbons. Her white peasant blouse was tied with pink cords that created a puff effect in the sleeves and a purple bodice for the bosom. A goldenrod shawl was tied around her waist, and stood out against the rose pink skirt. Her feet were bare, say for the silver bangles on her left ankle. Like the elder woman, she wore golden hoops in her ears and a several strings of beaded necklaces, although not as many. A heart shaped locket was also seen resting against her bosom. Like the child and the elder man, her eyes were a vibrant shade of jade.

Next to the young woman, a young man with spiky blonde hair and piercing cobalt eyes was also standing proud. He was a about the same age as the young woman, and, like his significant elder, wore brown slacks with suspenders over a peasant shirt. A navy blue vest was buttoned up with bronze buttons and a pair of dark brown boots with the slacks tucked in adorned his feet. A thick, golden hoop was pierced into his left earlobe, which, like his elder, was pointed.

Kneeling on one knee in between the two elders was another young man. Appearing to be no older then thirteen or fourteen, he was the most unhuman of the group. Aside from possessing the family ears, his skin was a healthy shade of wisteria and his spiky hair was a vibrant sheen of midnight blue. His deep cobalt pupils were surrounded by yellow optics, which gave him a slight sickly appearance. He grinned widely at the camera, showing off his pearly fangs but without a single trace of malice one would often associate with such sharp canines. Instead, he seemed to be possibly be the most childish of the bunch, next to the babe that was waving its small hand at the camera. Like the other men, he wore a pair of dark grey slacks tucked into a pair of black _cossack_ boots while a dark teal green vest with bronze buttons was placed over his white shirt.

"_Nonno_... _Nonna_... _Mamma_... _Uncle Zeru_... _Cousin Roto_..." A tear splattered onto the photo as the child ran a finger over the once happy faces of his family; his blood kin. "I miss you all _so much!_"

He recalled how they use to be so happy, back before the wars and pestilence of the Ningenkai plagued them. Back before the persecution had begun, back when they were simply a family of traveling carnies, wandering wherever the fates might take them. They would spend so much time laughing and making the most of life. Entertaining the humans in exchange for a fee, and aiding them with the use of Makai methods. They were _Zingari_; the _Fattucchieri_! Gypsies; enchanters of the ancient arts!

His family was held in high regards at one point in time, but all of that came to an end as one by one they were taken by death. First his mother was taken from them by an envious human witch's wrath, soon followed by his Grandfather being burned alive by an angry village who tried. His Grandmother, a human-demon hybrid, was fortunate enough to pass on painlessly in her sleep, all due to a natural old age of six hundred and thirty-four. That left him with only his mother's brother, Zeru, and his grandfather's nephew, Roto. Eventually, even they had been violently been taken away from him. Killed for the entertainment of others by two of the very beings that Rinku had come to befriend and trust. He still felt guilty at times after spending time with Kurama. He wondered how Zeru and Roto would respond to him socializing with their killers.

Even so, he was the last of the _Zingaro_ family line. He never knew his father, and he doubt the man was still alive, which meant that he had no blood kin left. Chuu was only his godfather, and although Rinku loved him like an actual father, it just was not the same. They had no blood relations of any kind. Not even shared blood through a transplant.

"I'm sorry that I failed you. I should have done something... _anything!_ Instead I just sat back like a weakling while you where taken from me one by one. I'm so sorry," the child whispered to the photo as he gave it a quick kiss before placing it back into the jewelry box. Closing the lid, he tightened his grip on the knife stood as he braced himself for the mission ahead of his. "I already lost you all, but I swear upon your souls that I will not fail Shura. I will not allow fate to claim any of my family again... I will _not_ lose my brother."

* * *

_**A/N:**_ To better help you understand the relations in this story, _Chuu_ is Rinku's godfather and a close friend of Zeru and Roto. _Roto_ is Rinku's first cousin once removed (Zeru's first cousin/Rinku's grandfather's nephew.) Z_eru_ is Rinku's uncle and Rinku's mother's twin brother (twins seem to be common among demons; i.e. Hiei & Yukina/Natsume & Kujo/etc.)

**Terms:**

--- window bed - a bed built into the window seat (Rinku likes to stargaze and would fall asleep on the engawa or the roof alot, so Suzuka made the window seat in Rinku's room into a window bed.)

--- _lapis lazuli_ - a bright blue metamorphic rock consisting largely of lazurite, used for decoration and in jewelry; considered the original ultramarine

**Japanese:**

--- _Gyoda Hasu_ - Japanese lotus

--- _ichiko_ - Japanese female fortuneteller/sorcoress/medium

**Australian (Chuu):**

--- _nipper - _Australian slang for young child(little brother or little sister)

_--- ripper_ - Australian slang for something excellent

**Russian (Touya):**

--- _Chyort voz'mi!_ - Russian for "Damn it!/Oh shit!" (I see Touya as being from Russia, since Jin is from Ireland and Chuu is from Australia)

**Italian (Rinku):**

--- _Cimaruta_ - an ancient Italian charm that infants wore to protect them from the evil eye; also used by witches as a sign of membership

--- _Fattucchieri_ - Italian for "hag/witch/wizard" (plural)

--- _Figli di Puttana! _-Italian for "sons of a bitch/whore"

_--- Minchiata! _- Italian for "Bullshit/Nonesense"

--- _Nonna_ - Italian for "Grandmother"

--- _Nonno_ - Italian for "Grandfather"

--- _Zingaro/Zingari _- Italian for gypsy(male form)/Italian for gypsy(plural)


End file.
